Sunshine and Saltwater
by mcfuz
Summary: "Poseidon?" Penelope laughs, delighted. "Guess your mum liked Greek legends, too, huh?" / A PenelopePoseidon series of drabbles spanning their life together. Crossover, set during DH, pre-PJO. ON HIATUS.
1. I: Sand

**Sunshine and Saltwater I**

**Sand**

* * *

"Penelope. What a lovely name."

She looks up, midway through counting the cash in the register. The man standing before her who's staring down at her nametag is breathtaking, but she knows better than to be hood-winked by good looks.

"Thank you," she smiles uncertainly. "Can I get you something-?"

"Greek mythology, isn't it? At least, from the story of Odysseus."

Penelope blinks, wondering what he's referring to, then realises and grins. "Ah, yeah- my mother had a fetish for ancient history."

The man smiles innocently at her, his sea-green eyes deeper than the darkest depths of the ocean. She clears her throat. "May I get you anything, sir?"

He glances up at the menu for the first time, as if he just remembered he was standing in a café. "Just a water, thanks- and there's no need to call me sir."

He's playing games, but she decides to roll with it. "Then what can I call you?"

"My name is Poseidon."

"Poseidon?" Penelope laughs, delighted. "Guess your mum liked Greek legends, too, huh?"

Poseidon's smile widens. "Something like that." He looks behind him. "But now I've kept other customers waiting. My apologies." Penelope looks over his shoulder, and sees that there is indeed a line-up of impatient people checking their watches and fiddling with their money. She blushes.

"No, no, it's my fault- I'll be right over with that water, then."

"What time do you get off?" The question is so straight-forward and cutting she pauses for a moment, open-mouthed like a fish, before remembering to breathe.

"Uh- an hour, I think-"

"Then I'm happy to wait," he says with a wink, passing over his payment and telling her to keep the change. "See you around, Penelope."

It's only once he's taken the table at the back does she realise the money he's given her is made of sand. She pauses, confused, then tucks the coins into her pocket. She's happy to pay, just this once.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, this is just going to be a small chapter story following the life of Penelope Clearwater and her lover, Poseidon. This is set during DH when Penelope - being a Muggleborn - has to go into hiding and decides to try her chances in the USA! Plauisble enough, anyway... So, hopefully it's interesting and the next chapter isn't far off (by the way, they're all going to be drabbles like this, no super-long ones)! Oh, yeah, and also, this story is inspired by **_PrincessPearl_** and all the wonderful things she writes. Check them out! (And please review this one!) xoxo


	2. II: Sweat

**Sunshine and Saltwater**

**Sweat**

* * *

When she wanders over after the shift ends, bundling her apron up into her bag and smiling, she swears that time stands still. He looks at her and she's filled inexplicably with the salty smell of brine and the warmth of summer waves drifting across her toes.

The feeling makes her laugh, and when he joins in, the sound swells, twisting and knotting until she and he are in a tangled web of happiness.

"Your place or mine?" he asks, and she really should refuse, should berate him for moving things so quickly, should put her foot down and say maybe this isn't such a good idea-

But she doesn't. She can't.

"Yours."

::

And the odd look on his face is jarring when he's unzipping her jeans and finds her wand stuffed down the left leg of them. There's a soft moment of confusion as he looks from her to it, then he smiles, wider than anything she's ever seen before. "I've always wanted to meet someone like you," he says, and that is all it takes to set her on fire.

He slides the wand out and rests it on the carpeted floor where they're lying. Penelope forgets it for the rest of the night, too engrossed in the biting sweat and heat of him that fills her up to the brim.

::

The next morning she wakes with her heart strangely at ease. She sees her wand lying inches away from her curled hand, innocent and naïve and no longer a secret.

Penelope wonders how Poseidon knew; surely he doesn't have magic, too? That would be too much of a coincidence, and she stopped believing in those a long time ago.

Curiously, as she stares at his sleeping form and the soft rise and fall of his chest that's ridged with black hair and sweat, she thinks of Percy Weasley. She's not sure why; she hasn't thought of him in months. Years, maybe. But there he is, popping up in her mind, and even though their last kiss was almost eons ago she can't help but wonder-

Maybe. One day.

But for now, it isn't Percy with her but Poseidon, and her eyes crinkle at the corners as she watches him stir. It might not be love, but it sure is something, and after hiding in the shadows for so long it's nice to be noticed. Desired.

It's nice to know that someone out there cares.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, added in a little PercyPenelope for you. Angst, of course: we all know it ends in heartbreak. And I bumped the rating up a notch; hope you're all fine with that. Please review! xoxo


	3. III: Doubt

**Sunshine and Saltwater**

**Doubt**

* * *

A week has passed since their first time together, and it still amazes Penelope that every day Poseidon comes down to the café, a smile dancing on his lips and a bouquet of flowers clutched in his calloused hands. Every day he has the time to share a kiss with her over the front counter, and every day he never fails to buy a sparkling water with one of those curious sand dollars of his.

Of course, Penelope is still wary. A little voice inside her head tries to tell her that _no-one can be this nice, this caring_ - not even Percy was this attentive. But somehow, she can't help it; she finds herself being drawn further and further in to Poseidon's web of comfort, and paying less and less attention to what's happening back home with You-Know-Who.

But that doesn't mean she's stopped thinking about it. Every time she feels someone staring at her, her hand flies down to her pocket in which her wand is kept; she never ventures outside after dark, and meticulously locks her apartment's door and windows every night. Paranoia has begun to build up inside her, something so startling and sudden that only Poseidon's feather light kisses can keep at bay.

And she still hasn't asked him how he knew about her magic. She's afraid to: after careful contemplation, she realises that maybe when he said _I always wanted to meet someone like you_, he just meant someone from England, or maybe just someone not from around here. Perhaps he didn't even realise what her wand was; maybe he thought she liked to carry sticks around, just in case she ever has need of them?

But Penelope can't put it off any longer. Poseidon invited her round to his place that night, and she needs to find out whether or not it's safe.

A knot tying itself in her stomach, Penelope takes her fifteen minute break early and joins Poseidon at his customary table. He grins at her, sipping at his sparkling water through a straw - sparkling water, Penelope realises with a jolt, which he's added three packets of salt to! She resists the urge to gag and smiles.

"Hey, beautiful," he says, clearing his throat and smiling with a wickedness that makes her knees go weak. _Maybe next time_, she thinks to herself. _I'll ask him about it next time - I can think of a far better way to spend fifteen minutes than just _talking_…_

_No._ Penelope mentally slaps herself, and then clears her throat. She stares straight into Poseidon's green eyes - so different from Percy's pale blue ones, she thinks absently - and sighs. "I need to ask you something."

"I think you already have," Poseidon says with a wink.

"Shut up; you know what I mean." There's a pause. She can't seem to figure out what to do with her hands: they're splayed awkwardly on the table, and she quickly tucks them under her thighs. "Last Thursday, when we- well-"

"First met?" he suggests innocently. She smiles gratefully.

"Yeah, yeah. When we, um, met, you said- uh, you said-"

"I said that I always wanted to meet someone like you?"

Penelope is dumbfounded. How can he even remember? "Well, yes. I just wanted to know what you, um, meant…you know, about someone like me-"

Poseidon grins, his knee brushing against Penelope's beneath the table. "Someone with magic, of course," he answers without hesitation. "A witch."

"Shh!" Penelope glances behind the, scooting her chair closer, terrified of being overheard. "Could you have said that any louder?"

"Sorry, sorry." Poseidon raises his hands in mock surrender, amusement dancing in his eyes. Penelope clears her throat.

"Um, well- I was wondering how you knew… I mean, are you-"

"-a wizard? No, I'm not, Penelope. It's just like I told you before: my mother was quite taken with ancient history." With that he stands, brushing down the condensation from his drink on his tropical shirt. "I'm afraid I'll have to be going, Pen. There's just something I need to take care of."

Penelope watches him as he swaggers away, his handsome face attracting plenty of attention. At the café doors, Poseidon turns and catches Penelope's eye. "I'll see you at eight," he calls, and then he's gone so quickly she could have sworn he'd Apparated.

Her boss walks up behind her a minute or so later. "When can I get me one of those?" she laughs, and Penelope forces a smile.

"Get in line," she jokes, but as soon as the woman is gone her smile slips, and she wonders just what she's gotten herself into.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the wait. Hopefully you like this one; it's a little longer, but that was necessary. Thanks to my darling reviewers _trollalalala_, _teanotes_ and _Qwertyuiop_. You guys are awesome! xoxo


End file.
